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A cash flow forecast estimates when money will enter and leave the bank. It is different from a profit forecast because an invoice can create revenue before the customer pays, a loan can create cash without revenue, and equipment can consume cash differently from its accounting expense.
For day-to-day control, build a rolling short-term forecast from real bank timing rather than spreading an annual budget evenly across months.
Choose the horizon and frequency
A 13-week cash flow forecast is useful for weekly liquidity decisions. A monthly forecast can support a longer planning horizon. A Mauritius business facing a tight period may need daily detail for the next two weeks, weekly detail after that, and monthly scenarios further out.
Set an owner and review rhythm. A forecast that is not updated after invoices, orders, payroll, tax, or financing change becomes a static presentation.
Start with available cash
Reconcile the opening bank balance and identify restricted cash, overdraft position, undeposited receipts, and uncleared payments. Use cash actually available to the business under its banking arrangements.
Forecast receipts by expected date
List customer receipts from specific invoices, agreed milestones, sales patterns, deposits, refunds, grants, asset sales, owner funds, borrowing, and other sources. Use the date cash is expected in the bank, not only the invoice due date. Consider customer behaviour and disputed amounts.
Forecast payments by obligation
Include payroll, suppliers, rent, utilities, tax, VAT, PAYE and other statutory payments, loan instalments, insurance, subscriptions, imports, freight, capital expenditure, dividends or drawings, and one-off commitments. Separate committed payments from discretionary plans.
Calculate the weekly position
For each period:
Closing cash = opening cash + receipts − payments.
The closing balance becomes the next period’s opening balance. Show the available facility and a management threshold separately. Do not hide a shortfall by assuming an unapproved loan or delayed payment.
Use scenarios, not one confident line
Create an expected case and specific downside cases: a large customer pays late, sales fall, a shipment needs cash earlier, a project overruns, or a facility is delayed. Assign probability only when it helps a decision and the basis is clear. Keep scenarios separate from committed cash.
Turn shortfalls into actions
Possible actions include resolving invoice disputes, agreeing deposits or staged billing, collecting overdue accounts, changing purchase timing, reducing discretionary spending, negotiating supplier terms, selling unused assets, or arranging finance early. Consider customer, supplier, legal, tax, and operational effects before acting.
Compare forecast with actual
Replace completed periods with actual bank movement. Record whether the difference came from timing, amount, missing item, or classification. Track repeated bias by customer, supplier, department, and forecast owner. Improving the process matters more than proving the previous forecast was “close.”
Connect the forecast to records
Link receipts to receivables and sales pipeline, payments to payables and commitments, payroll to the approved run, tax to filed or expected returns, and financing to agreements. Reconcile the bank through the bank reconciliation process before treating the opening position as reliable.
Use the Codeblix cash flow calculator for a working view, then connect it to accounting and business reporting. The forecast supports decisions; it is not a guarantee of what customers, banks, or suppliers will do.
Why this matters for Mauritius businesses
Mauritius is rolling out MRA e-invoicing in phases by taxpayer category. The timetable and status can change, and MRA may separately notify a taxpayer, so businesses should check the current MRA e-invoicing page and their own notices before acting on a deadline.
The Codeblix approach
Codeblix eInvoicing is MRA-listed as an EBS Solution Provider (SN 95, BRN C24214425). The system handles every aspect of MRA compliance automatically - real-time fiscalisation, IRN tracking, QR code generation, hash chain maintenance, and monthly transaction reporting. The local support team in Chamouny is available to help with any MRA query, audit, or transition question.
What to do next
If your present process does not support the fiscal-invoice requirements that apply to your business, document the gap and test an appropriate EBS workflow. Codeblix can review your business requirements and onboarding scope before preparing a proposal; regulatory conclusions remain with the taxpayer and its advisers.
Frequently asked questions
The most common questions about cash flow forecast guide for mauritius businesses are covered in the FAQ section below. If you have a question that is not covered, the local Codeblix support team is available by phone, WhatsApp, or email.
Related resources
Codeblix publishes a regular blog covering MRA e-invoicing, VAT compliance, payroll, and business management for Mauritius businesses. The blog is updated weekly with new guides, how-tos, and case studies. You can also find detailed product documentation, video tutorials, and a knowledge base in the Help Centre.
Frequently asked questions
What should a cash flow forecast include?
Start with available cash, then date expected customer receipts, payroll, supplier payments, tax, debt, capital spending, owner movements, and other bank flows for each period.
How often should the forecast be updated?
Update it whenever material timing changes. A weekly rolling review is common for a short-term forecast, with actual results replacing estimates and the horizon extended.